Standing In The Light
by Cheryl Brink
Summary: Rose, Jack, and The Doctor go to the mall after the events of Boom Town to relax. the group tries to have a normal day, well as normal as a day can be for intergalactic time travelers. Instead of the past, they find themselves in tangle with the future.


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"Be careful!" The Doctor shout as Rose went to explore the mall in front of her. Rose smiles in the distince, and gets so deep in the crowd that niether Jack nor the Doctor can see where she is or where she's going.

"She'll find us eventually."Jack said nonchalantly,

"With her luck, we'll find her with an alien foe attempting to destroy the planet."The Doctor said with his Northern burr, and snorted quietly.

Jack, and the Doctor explored each and every shop on every floor for hours. Although, to many times Jack would run of for ten minutes, and come back glowing.

It'd been six hours, and hadn't seen Rose once.

Jack wasn't worried in the slightest, but the Doctor felt his hearts speed up at the possibilities of what could have happened to her.

They stroll past yet another food court when the Doctor sees the back of a blonde head that is distinctly Rose Tyler. The Doctor could spot her from anywhere, anytime.

The Doctor and Jack weave through the tables and people to get to Rose. Once they got over, each took a seat, looking at the surrounding area, always teeming with life. It was Jack that caught the Doctor's attention with a wolf whistle.

"Rosey!"Jack exclaimed,looking her up and down,"Where did you get new clothes, and a different hair style? I must say it suits you." Jack said, turning on his charm yet again.

The Doctor looked over Rose with curious eyes. Her hair had the bags grown out, and pinned to the top of her head. Her clothes were different, and not her style. Well, weren't her normal style. She had a blue jacket and pants, with a t-shirt underneath the jacket. She was grinning ear to ear, estatic, but her eyes... her eyes were much older. He would know.

"You're not our Rose, are you?" The Doctor said, kindly but curiously.

She shook her head lightly,"No. It is a pleasure to see both of you."

Both took on a face of confusion, although Jack asked first,"Aren't you here with future us?"

She chuckled, and smiled, bt the Doctor could see underlying sadness."You, Jack Harness, have a different road ahead. A **great** road." She said, smile widening with every word. She then faced the Doctor,"And I love you no matter what regeneration your in, but I do miss this regeneration terribly." She said, smile smile, face speculative.

"What kind of road?" Jack asked curiously while the Doctor was still processing the information he was given.

Rose's smile widened,"You join _Torchwood._"Her smile dims,"I'm still sorry how long I made that road."She brushes it off,"You have a team you cal 'family' all the time. Tosh, Owen, Gwen, and then there's Ianto-"Rose said, interrupted by the Doctor.

"Jack could you give us a moment?"The Doctor asked.

Jack looked between them, and sighed as he got up and walked away.

"So you know about regeneration?"He asked. To which Rose nodded, and he sighed, and cast his gaze downward. "I can never just live in the light can I?"

He felt hands on the side of his face, tipping it up, and Rose's lips glued to his. He responded quickly, and with as much energy and love as possible. When they broke for air, he sent a questioning glance.

She stroked his face,"I can't stand seeing you sad."

He felt cool metal on one of her fingers that was stroking his face, and stilled the hand to see the ring sitting upon her third finger, covered in Gallifreian.

His eyes teared up, and she said softly,"_Rose. Defender of Universes, Guardian of Time, Keeper of My Heart. Through regenerations, adventures, close calls, loss, agony, suffering, waiting, and so much more, you have been with me always. Most stand with me in the darkness, in the shade of reality that no one ever dare cross. You pulled me into the light, showing me how to live again, live with myself, holding me through grief and tradgity, showing me what life has to offer, and how to see the universe in the best light while inside its beam. I am proud to be your husband, and wearing this means you are proud to be my wife, something I can not fathom, but can see that it makes you happy. To be with me. Making me the happiest man in the universe. So let's bathe in the sunlight together. Forever."_

The Doctor had tears streaming down his face, and a soft smile. "Forever." He sad sadly.

"Forever." Rose said, with pressed seriousness.

Rose grabbed his hands, and placed them on her chest. He was confused for a sliver of a second, when he felt them.

_Dual heartbeats._

"_Forever._" He whispered.

He sat there for half a second, then Jack called for him across the food court. Rose traced her fingertips across his feature one last time before saying,"Goodbye. I love you." The last three words a whisper.

Rose got up, and disappeared in the large crowd. The Doctor stayed still for a full minute before getting up and with Jack back to the TARDIS. When they arrived, past Rose was waiting out front for them. Jack greeted her and went inside, and before Rose could greet the Doctor, he smashed his lips to hers. she was surprised for half a second, then responded immediately.

Needless to say, a relationship formed immediately.

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Future Rose walked into her TARDIS, and immediately heard he husband electricate himself. A curse or two slipped from his lips before he asked,"How was the mall?"

"The mall was lovely." Rose replied, seeing her husband bound up the steps to the main column, flipping levers and running about. "I met two lovely men, one of whom had a superb sex drive, and the other was a rather handsome man in a leather jacket."

The Doctor turned around, wide eyed. "You interacted with our past?" Voice neither accusatory nor angry. Just slight fear.

Rose walked up to her husband, pulled on his suspenders toward her, and gave him a light, sweet kiss on the mouth. Adjusting his bowtie, then pulling it completely off, she santerd into the bowels of the TARDIS, leaving The Doctor to scurry after her.


End file.
